Suchergebnisse

The 1992 Rio Earth Summit was of paramount importance in the consolidation and international dissemination of environmental impact assessment, officially recognized as a tool for informed decision-making towards sustainable development (Principle 17, Rio Declaration) and for protection of biodiversity (Article 14, Convention on Biological Diversity). A significant development afterwards was the strengthening of strategic environmental assessment in the design of policies, plans and programs. Both forms of impact assessment can establish the necessary connections between one goal of the Rio+20 Conference - reaching an agreement on the transition to a green economy - and the underpinning decision making processes. Although the Rio+20 Summit has faced challenges to acknowledge its potential, impact assessment should be strengthened in support of both government and business decisions.

The recent rapid expansion of extractive industries in Greenland is both causing high hopes for the future and anxieties among the local population. In the Arctic context, even small projects carry risks of major social impacts at local and national scales, and have the potential to severely affect the way of life of local indigenous peoples. The effective identification and management of social impacts is therefore essential. We explore the challenges associated with on-going development as perceived by people in Greenland. We also review and synthesize the regulatory tools used to ensure social issues are adequately managed and taken into consideration when regulatory approval of new projects is considered. We found that there are many issues of concern. Of particular interest is the lack of trust by the public in the capacity of the Government of Greenland to protect local values. We suggest that, in the context of Greenland, social impact assessment is needed, not only at the project level, but also at the policy level carried out by or on behalf of the government and prior to project planning. We also advocate for the use of free, prior and informed consent.